Thera 1.118: Kimbila
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(118):Kimbila Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =118. Kimbila= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Kapilavatthu in the family of a Sākiyan (king)rāja, and named Kimbila,1 he inherited immense wealth. The Lord(Buddha) saw the maturity of his insight while staying at Anupiyā, and in order to arouse him, conjured up a beautiful woman in her prime, and showed her to him passing to old age. Then Kimbila greatly shaken uttered this verse: ---- 118 Abhisatthova nipatati|| Vayo rūpaɱ aññamiva tatheva santaɱ,|| Tasseva sato avippavasato|| Aññasseva sarāmi attānan' ti.|| || ---- 118 As remainden by some power age over her falls. Her shape is as another, yet the same. Now this my self, who never have left myself, Seems other than the self I recollect. ---- He thus, considering the fact of impermanence, was yet more strongly agitated, and going to the Lord(Buddha) heard the Path(Dhamma), believed, entered the Monk’s order, and in due course won arahantship(enlightenment). Upon that he emphasized how he had formerly looked on things as permanent by repeating the verse, by that confessing aññā(supreme attainment). ---- 1 Also spelt (Br.) Kimila and Kimmila. He was converted, with five other young Sākiyan nobles, in the first week of the Buddha's mission, according to the Vinaya narrative. There the method adopted for his conversion is not given. Kimbila is represented in the Majjhima as maintaining his early friendship with the senior Thera Anuruddha. living with him, and a third, Nandiya (Ps. XXV ), now in this wood or park, now in that (Vinaya Texts, ii. 309, iii. 228; Majjh., i. 205, iii. 155; see also CXXXVIII.). Anupiyā was a town in the Malla republic (Vinaya Texts, iii. 224). ---- =1.12-8 118 Commentary on the stanza of Kimilatthera= The stanza starting with Abhisatto va nipatati constitutes that of the venerable Thera Kimila. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, doing meritorious deeds, in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Kakusandha. On having attained the age of intelligence, when the Master entered parinibbāna, he made a reverential offering in the manner (ākāra) of a pandal (maṇḍapa) with garlands of Saḷala flowers in dedication to His relics. On account of that act of merit, he was reborn in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven, and now and then, wanderig about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, sprang up in the family of the Sākiyan sovereign in the city of Kapilavatthu, when this uddha arose. His name was Kimila. On having come of age, he lived endowed with the prosperity of wealth. On having seen the thorough maturity of his knowledge, the Master, residing at Anupoya, for the purpose of bringing about his remorse, specially crested a good-looking feminine beauty (itthirūpaṃ), who stood in her first youth, showed her in front of him: later, He made her to be seen gradually as if overcome by such dwindlings as old-age and disease. On having seen her, the yong prince Kimila, in order to make manifest his excessive remorse, spoke a stanza. 118. “As if specially instructed, age dwindles away; such a beauty (rūpaṃ) but as this (tath’eva) appears (santaṃ) to me as another (aññamiva); because of being thoughtful, I happened to be mindful (sato) of her even; I consider as if it is of another (aññassa) even (eva). There, abhisatto va means: as if advised and instructed by divine beings thus:– “You go quickly; do not tarry (tiṭṭha). there is such a reading also as “Abhisaṭṭho’va, (as if specially advised);” as if being desired (abhilāsāpito) by someone thus:– “You go ninbly (lahuṃ);” thus, is the meaning. Nipatati means: falls beyond (atipatati), specially runs (abhidhāvati) does not stay (na tiṭṭhati); moment after moment arrives at dwindling and decay (khayavayaṃ); thus, is the meaning. Vayo means: different distinctive (viseva) stages (avattha) of the Body beginning from young youthfulness (bālyayobbana); here, however, his state of youth (yobbaññaṃ) is meant (adhippetaṃ). Indeed, that state of youth stood near him having become specially fallen (abhipatantaṃ) and dwindled (khiyantaṃ), Rūpaṃ means he speaks of beauty, the prosperity of physique (rūpasampadā). Rūpa, thus, however, is the body, as in such contexts as: “Aṭṭhiñca paṭicca nhāruñca paṭicca maṃsañ ca paṭicca ākāso parivārito rūpaṃ tveva saṅkhaṃgacchati (dependent upon bone, dependent upon veins also and dependent upon flesh as well the space surrounded goes but towards being calculated as physical body)” and so on. Aññamiva tatheva santaṃ means: I am myself but like that, which is similar to this beautiful body (rūpaṃ), and which is currently existing (santaṃ vijjamānaṃ) in that self-same manner; yet it stands near me as if I am some one else (aññaṃviya); thus, is the significance. Some scholars read: “Tadeva santaṃ (even that existing) “also, Tass’eva sato means: to that self-same me who am not another (anaññassa) being mindful. Avippavasato means: of one who is not absent (vippavasanta); indeed, by being absent for a long time, one who is not another also stands near him as if he is another person; this also does not exist here; thus, is the significance. Aññass’eva sarāmi attānaṃ (I consider, closely bear in my memory (upadhāremi) and well understand (sañjānāmi) this my own body as if that of another living being); thsu, is the meaning. When in this manner, he was making himself mindful of the state of impermanence former (daḷhataro) remorse arose. Having become remorseful, he approached the Master, listened to the truth (dhamma), aptly gained pious faith, became a monk, established himself in the development of spiritual insight, and attaind Arahantship but before long. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna.-- “ When Kakusandha who had driven off His evil deeds (brāhmana) and spent His sinless life (vusīmati) I collected garlands of Saḷaka flowers and made a pandal. Having become one who had reached the Tāvatiṃsa heaven, I gained the most excellent mansion. I outshone other divine beings: this is the fruitful result of my meritorious deed. Whether in the day or at night, I kept standing as well as walking to and fro, sheltered (channo) by Saḷala flowers; this is the fruitful result of my meritorius deed. It was in this self-same aeon (kappa) that I made my rather reverential offering to Buddha. I do not remember any evil existenc; this is the fruitful result of my reverential offering to Buddha. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship also, the Thera reiterated (paccudāhāsi) that self-same stanza in order to make manifest his mindfulness of inpermanence that had formerly risen to himself. On that account, this (stanza) was the exposition (byākarana) of the Arahantship (aññā) of this Thera. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Kimila is complete. ----